A group of former Campbell paramedics is trying to restore a prized piece of city and state history.

Rescue 25 was the emergency services vehicle used by the Campbell Fire Department’s history-making crew of 1974, the first class of fire department paramedics in Northern California.

“What we’re trying to do is keep it in Campbell because it’s been part of Campbell all along,” said Fred Van Hook, one of the members of the 1974 crew and chairman of the Friends of Rescue 25.

Until about five months ago, the modified 1974 Chevy truck sat idle in the yard of the department of public works. The truck is in fairly bad shape and needs an overhaul of its engine and transmission, as well as aesthetic work on its exterior and interior.

Thinking it was time to return the truck to its former glory, Van Hook began gathering community support, and after a bit of organizing and the city council’s blessing, fundraising efforts were under way.

At this point, the Friends of Rescue 25 is about one-fourth of the way to its goal, having raised close to $5,000 so far. The group estimates it will cost $20,000 to complete the necessary repairs.

The repair work is expected to take up to a year, after which the truck will be used as an attraction for various community events and parades. It is already one of the crown jewels in the Campbell Historical Museum’s collection.

“It’s an extremely significant piece because Campbell had the first paramedic team in Northern California and second overall in California. It was ahead of its time,” said museum director Karen Lange.

The 1974 team had to jump through hoops and undergo hours of volunteer training to convince city and county officials that a paramedics program was needed in the area.

On May 10, 1974, Van Hook, Rick Kincaid, George Renshaw, Alan Lowder, Ray Rivero, Mike Johnson, Fred Bailey and Garry Salmon finally gained certification from the Santa Clara County Health Department, paving the way for municipalities throughout the county to develop similar paramedic programs.

“It was something brand-new, kind of a big step in emergency medical services in the county,” Van Hook said. “The fact that we volunteered our time and the council backed us up is most significant.” Driving Rescue 25 required many stops at the gas pump, as its crew served much of Campbell and San Jose with a vehicle equipped with a puny 10-gallon gas tank. Still, the truck was “really fast and fun to drive,” Van Hook recalls.

Project consultant Charlie Gibson hopes to raise enough money by the start of summer and begin restoration work immediately thereafter. If things go as planned, the project could be completed by the end of 2010.

“It’s great that the city of Campbell takes time to recognize its past accomplishments through the historical museum. The city has some firsts, and this is one of them that deserves some notoriety,” Gibson said.